As John R. Bolton's nomination to become the next ambassador to the U.N. hangs in limbo, diplomats here say they don't care how a new U.S. envoy gets here, as long as one comes soon. "I know Mr. Bolton, and I know that he is very pushy," said Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya, who has dealt with Bolton on nonproliferation issues. "I hope that he can push hard for the U.S. position, especially on U.N. reform, because right now, no one is doing it."

America's combative U.N. ambassador, John R. Bolton, launched a second campaign to win full Senate approval Thursday, saying he had done his best "to work with others to advance our national interests" during his year at the world body. "I do believe important advances have been made," he said during a 3 1/2 -hour hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Re editorial cartoon, June 23: It's good to see that Michael Ramirez is in tune with the Republican talking points about John Bolton to the effect that Democrats dislike Bolton simply because he's a "mean guy." Let's not forget that Bolton referred to the United Nations as "irrelevant" and may be guilty of manipulating intelligence -- something we would know if the Bush administration released the documentation sought by Congress. Bolton is just one of Bush's many bad choices, and the Democrats (and sane Republicans)

Five former U.S. secretaries of State urged the Senate to confirm John R. Bolton as United Nations ambassador. Former Secretaries James A. Baker III, Lawrence Eagleburger, Alexander Haig, Henry Kissinger and George Shultz sent the letter to Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), who plans a hearing on the nomination Thursday.

Re "U.N. May Need Bolton's Bitter Medicine," Commentary, March 9: When recently asked to describe the role the U.N. can play in global disarmament, former U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix replied that the world body was less a player than a musical instrument in the hands of its member nations. If the members choose to play together in a cohesive fashion for peace and global unity, then the United Nations can serve the world as its founders intended. If his record is any indication, John Bolton will not be a team player.

The liberal cries against the installation of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations reflect the thinking of a band of political obstructionists who live in a non-real world. The true facts are that the United Nations is so corrupt that this action forestalls a cry for withdrawal, which most certainly is the thinking of most Americans. If Bolton is unsuccessful in making progress toward cleaning up that organization, then withdrawal will be an issue in the 2008 campaign.

John R. Bolton, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, accused Syria and Iran of not doing enough to stop foreigners from joining the insurgency in Iraq. Bolton and British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, speaking after a Security Council vote, said Iran and Syria could and should do more to keep terrorists from crossing their borders. Syrian Ambassador Fayssal Mekdad said his country had stopped thousands of suspected terrorists.